Maffet Ledger: Drawing
Unknown Artist
ca. 1874–81
Medium
Graphite, watercolor, and crayon on paper
Dimensions
H. 11 3/4 × W. 5 1/4 in. (29.8 × 13.3 cm)
Classification
Paper-Drawings
Culture
Southern and Northern Cheyenne
Department
Arts of Africa, Oceania, and the Americas
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
The Michael C. Rockefeller Memorial Collection, Purchase, Nelson A. Rockefeller Gift, 1968
Accession Number
1978.412.207 (140)
Tags
Art Historical Context
This captivating drawing from the *Maffet Ledger*, created by an unknown Southern and Northern Cheyenne artist around 1874–81, exemplifies the vibrant tradition of Plains Indian ledger art. Produced during a turbulent era following the U.S. government's confinement of Cheyenne people to reservations after conflicts like the Battle of the Little Bighorn, these works served as visual narratives preserving cultural memory. Rendered on repurposed accounting ledger paper—a readily available material in forts and agencies—the artwork features dynamic depictions of men and horses, symbols of Cheyenne...